Ok Joyce here is what happened to mine that I had in the ground all over the place. I am in zone 8. They all died down to the ground. Some show new growth but got frozen again when it got below freezing.

I am sure that zone 7 folks can help you out a lot better. But then you can also take cuttings from them to make sure you got some in case they are not coming back.

Lucy

The most important thing is to make certain they'll have EXCELLENT drainage during the cold months---cold + water=rot.

Also, some brugs are more cold-hardy than others. I'd recommend trying this with Frosty Pink and Charles Grimaldi first, because they're nice and hardy. Also, be certain to take back-up cuttings.

If you want them to survive the winter you need to lift them in 7a. It doesn't matter how protected an area is or how good the drainage is, 7a is just too cold. BTDT, several times. lol

Oh darn! I was really hoping to be able to leave some outside. I thought since my datura come back from the roots I might have a chance at the brugs coming back from the roots. Thanks for the advice!
Joyce

Joyce if your datura come back the brugs might too. I'm sure a lot depends on how wet and cold the winter is. I know I had things come back this year that usually don't. We had an early winter but no prolonged below 20 weather which we do some winters. My petunias are in fool bloom from last year the same one not reseeded and my butterfly plant I can't think of the name of it. Has never come back but I saw new leaves at the base today. Million bells blooming from last year and many others popping up at the base. All the brugs have new growth except a couple but I hope they are just being later than the others. I forgot to turn off the water hose this morning and it blew a hole out the side of the house and flooded the greenhouse. Waaaaa. Try a well rooted CG or Frosty Pink in that spot. The piles of leaves really hugely helped keep my roots alive on some tender plants and it didn't even stay on there all the time because of the wind blowing them off but it you can get the leaves to stay there I bet it would come back. I think they have longer cold spells in Maryland than in Oklahoma from what I see on the weather channel. Does't hurt to try with a spare one in any regard. You can put Christmas lights around it as well and cover with a upturned pot but leave an air hole so you don't get mildew.

in brugmansia society website they write that regular freezing of the ground is weakening the plant year by year and with the time they die.

Here is a link that might be useful: --> beautiful brugmansia pictures

Down the street, there are two brugs that have come back from the roots two summers in a row. One is a pure yellow, which I took a cutting from. The other is a pink/orange. I am in 7b, very close to 8a. You can plant them in the ground. But I would recommend taking cuttings in the fall just in case they don't make it.

In my opinion, there's a big difference in 7a vs 7b! If your ground freezes, you're gonna lose them. That's all there is to it. I cut my large peach brug to the ground last fall, threw a large bag of mulch over it and it looks like the ground did not freeze too deeply under it. It may come back or it may not. We really got cold this winter. It's on the South side of the garage -- my best microclimate. I did take cuttings though!

I dont know..I agree with ewamaria that freezing roots time and again will weaken and eventually kill the plant after a few years, BUT I am here in crappy Jersey, lol..which was upped to zone 7a a couple years back. There is a woman who lives by my daughter's soccer field here in town (its a very small town, 2 mile radius) who has what I believe to be a Charles Grimaldi in her backyard at the top of a slope of a creek, not a sheltered area at all..SHe leaves that in ground..last year it must have reached about 7' before the 3rd or 4th freeze killed the foliage. I'm keeping my eye on her brug to see what happens with it. Cant'e wait to see if it comes back now, with this winter we had..man was it cold!! I am going to attempt it with my CG this coming winter.
No harm in trying as far as I see it..as long as you take cuttings...This woman doesnt even cut hers down all the way in the fall! This last fall she cut it down to about 4', and it all regrows from that! She doesnt even mulch it or cover it in any way. I am going to go by there one day soon and see if its all shriveled or not, and I'll let you know Joyce.
If I do it I plan on using a plant with a very very good root system in the spring, that way by fall I KNOW its got a huge root system to help it along.
I had wanted to do it last year..try and leave one in ground, but they were all pretty new and I wasnt ready, didnt think the roots were ready. I def wouldnt do it with a first season/young brug.

I hadn't thought about using a plant with a good root system. All I have are now rooted cuttings. I was thinking if I put them out after our frost date in April that they would have plenty of time to develop a good root system. Our ground doesn't actually freeze until January or so depending on the weather. Many times I am still planting outside in December. I think I am going to give it a try planting in ground and take cuttings. What do I have to lose?
Thanks again for the great information!
Joyce

Joyce what do you have to loose? Most likely a gorgeous flushing angel! ha ha I KNOW. I had the NOID from Kristy in the ground last year and would you know it, that it was the only one that actually developed a seedpod to a nice size without loosing it. Let along that it really bloomed so pretty. So, what could I NOT DO? yupp...leave it to itself in the ground to die. Dug it out. Put it in the shed and it died THERE :-( But not down as much as most named ones. This one is a fighter for living I tell ya.

Good luck. What I did this time mostly is put the rooted cuttings in the ground and keep the mother plants in pots.

Lucy

Joyce-putting them in the ground is the only way to go.I've been planting them in the ground here in zone 7a(North Georgia) for years.They grow faster,bloom more,and are generally happier in the ground.I once grew them in pots-but once I planted them,I've never gone back to potting them.I've planted over 50 varieties-some come back from the roots for several years.Frosty pink comes back,Charles grimaldi and I have a Double White that comes back.After 4 or 5 years,the freezing in the winter causes them to decline-But I just replant new ones at this point.They are So easy to dig up,and pot just before the 1st frost.Plant em! Mark

Mark I'm surprised that you are considered 7a. Your temps are significantly warmer then mine, especially during the winter.